Alex Colville

Lost cities in the sands

Exquisite palaces built of coral may now be buried forever in the desert. But their legends suggest that medieval Africa was far from being a dark continent

issue 24 November 2018

  • The Golden Rhinoceros: Histories of the African Middle Ages

    François-Xavier Fauvelle, translated from the French by Troy Tice

    Princeton, pp. 264

GIF Image

Disagree with half of it, enjoy reading all of it

TRY 3 MONTHS FOR $5
Our magazine articles are for subscribers only. Start your 3-month trial today for just $5 and subscribe to more than one view

Read next

Trending

Ruth Bloomfield

Farewell to the Fleet Street I loved

From Spectator Life
Filthy, foetid and fraught with danger. A magnet for hooligans, hard drinkers, a few saints and plenty of sinners. And that was Fleet Street before the newspapers moved in. This ancient thoroughfare, in use since Roman times, is one of London’s most famous occupational streets, much as Jermyn Street is known for its tailors and Harley Street its medics. The difference is that Fleet Street is

More on book review

Also by Alex Colville

Latest

Comments

Join the debate for just £1 a month

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.

Already a subscriber? Log in